It was a cool July day. I think the temperature was in the low 90's that morning...maybe high 80's. Crazy to think that we paid money to run in this kind of heat, but we did. We start in the middle of the pack at the starting line. The first mile is pretty uneventful. Soon after the first mile, Hubbie starts talking about passing people. I don't know what brought on this competitive nature all of a sudden, maybe because we were naturally passing people who started sprinting in the beginning but soon learned that was not a pace they could keep up for the entire 3.1 miles. Then, we start running up this incline. I don't want to use the word hill, because I don't think we really have hills in Memphis. This was a pretty steep incline if you ask me. Hubbie says, "Let's pass some people on the hill." It normally isn't my custom to sprint up hills while running, but Hubbie thought this was a good idea. So, being a supportive runner, I agree and increase my pace a little. He begins to get really excited about the number of people we are passing. We finally reach the top (to which I was relieved - I don't know how long I could have kept that up). My thought is we would coast down the decline and then pick back up on the flat part. Little wrong was I. He doesn't want to coast for a bit because people might start to pass us. I'm not too worried and even if people pass us - that is okay. For those of you that know me, I used to be super competitive and would have hated it if people passed me. I think the Lord has really worked on this with me, and has taken some of that competitive nature away (not all of it as Hubbie attests to in my soccer games, but a large amount). So I was truly okay if people started to pass me. Then he notices this middle aged woman that was ahead of us a good ways (she was wearing green shorts - this is a detail that will come in handy for Hubbie's next comment). He now says to me, "We cannot let the lady with the green shorts beat us!". He was so serious. I was like, "Who cares? Let her win, I'm okay with the pace we are running now and if we start sprinting again I may not make it to the end of the race"...that would have been embarrassing. Hubbie wouldn't let it rest. He kept making comments about how we couldn't let that lady beat us and we needed to pick up the pace a little. I held my ground. I think she may have slowed a little because I notice that we are gaining on her and I'm pretty confident that we weren't running faster. Hubbie is still making his comments as we are now in mile 2 and still wants to desperately pass this lady with the green shorts. I continue to tell him I feel no need to pass her and I'm fine. We continue to close the gap between us and continue to pass people. I'm feeling good. Nobody is passing us and we are passing people. This is great! Hubbie still comments on how we need to pass her - I continue to fight an increase in pace. I think at some point we increase our pace a bit, because we pass her! Hubbie is so excited. I was like, "yes, now he will stop making comments about passing the lady in the green shorts." Not more than 5 steps after passing the lady in green shorts, Hubbie says now we need to get the guy in the gray shorts. WHAT!!! I don't need to pass him either. But we are pretty much on the final stretch. I resist. We continue to run and then we see the finish. We pick it up to the finish line (not pushing it, just picked up the pace a bit), pass the guy in the gray shorts. Another victory and we cross the finish line. YEAH!! No one else to pass.
What an experience. Who knew that Hubbie would be such a competitor during the race. I was just looking forward to a fun little race together. Not trying to break any times just run and enjoy. Well, I do owe a huge thank you to Hubbie because I got 2nd place for my age group!! Wow! I think there were 3 factors that helped, 1. it wasn't a huge race and 2. when you are in you're thirties, there aren't too many women out there running 5ks. 3. Hubbie kept wanting to pass everyone so I had to keep up the pace. Now don't be too impressed, it wasn't a great time, but sufficient for 2nd place. I'm a little hesitant now to enter another 5k or longer race with Hubbie. Who knows who we would have to pass...
It gets taller everyday!
